I have a delicious P today. It’s Pastilla or more specifically Moroccan Pastilla.
Here’s what wikipedia has to say about it:
Pastilla (pronounced “bastiyya”; Berber: Bastela), also transliterated bastilla, bisteeya, b’stilla or bstilla, is a traditional Moroccan dish, an elaborate meat pie traditionally made of squab (fledgling pigeons). As squabs are often hard to get, shredded chicken is more often used today; pastilla can also use fish or offal as a filling. Pastilla is generally served as a starter at the beginning of special meals.
It is a pie which combines sweet and salty flavours; a combination of crisp layers of the crêpe-like warka dough (a thinner cousin of the phyllo dough), savory meat slow-cooked in broth and spices and shredded, and a crunchy layer of toasted and ground almonds, cinnamon, and sugar.
The filling is made a day ahead, and is made by browning the meat pieces in oil. The pieces are then transferred to a bowl, and with the remaining oil, onions, water, parsley, and various spices are cooked. The liquid is then chilled, and after, thickened to form a custard-like sauce with beaten eggs. The flesh and skin from the bones is shredded and added to the sauce, and it is chilled overnight.
In a round pizza pan, the first dough layer is added, and butter brushed onto it. The cook adds the sauce over the dough, and places two more sheets on top. It is then dried, sprinked with confectioner’s sugar and perhaps more cinnamon, and served.
This is my entry for this week’s ABC WEDNESDAY.
Luna Miranda
May 1, 2012 at 4:48 pm
that looks so good! i’d love to try it!:p
ewok1993
May 1, 2012 at 7:20 pm
they are usually available in restaurants offering mediterranean cuisine.
photowannabe
May 1, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Okay, now you have made me hungry.
These sound so delicious.
readerwil
May 1, 2012 at 5:05 pm
That looks very good! I must try it one day! Have a great week!
Wil, ABC Team.
Ann
May 1, 2012 at 5:41 pm
I love meat pies, I’m sure I’d love these. good P word.
Carver
May 1, 2012 at 6:58 pm
My mouth is watering. I’d like to eat one now. Carver, ABC-Wed. Team
ewok1993
May 1, 2012 at 7:20 pm
Me too Carver, me too.
islandrambles
May 1, 2012 at 11:43 pm
Oh Boy they look so yummy…quite a process to make them, I would buy them though!
rob
May 2, 2012 at 12:56 am
.. it’s like our local empanada. 🙂
Kim,USA
May 2, 2012 at 2:16 am
The pastilas that i so remember in the Philippines is yummy. I bet these one is also yummy I feel I am craving for sweets now.
Kim,USA
Linnea
May 2, 2012 at 4:44 am
Yummy…it looks like a meal in itself!
Hazel
May 2, 2012 at 7:32 am
That definitely looks yummy. Didn’t know it’s traditional moroccan; loved learning that. Once I had pastilla (tuna filling) in every breakfast for a week 😀
Mar
May 2, 2012 at 8:47 am
It looks and sounds delicious!!
P is for…
Annie
May 2, 2012 at 2:25 pm
Yum! I’d love to try this. I love anything with cilantro in it. Nice photo!
Rose Cottrill
May 2, 2012 at 7:38 pm
Looks sumptuous!
P is for Pizzaroni
Rose, ABC Wednesday Team